We totally get it, spending big bucks and time on getting your hair colour just right means you want to look after it. So, it’s no surprise to us that this is one of the most common questions that our team of Miracle Workers get asked on the daily.
Looking after your new hair colour by using the best hair products can help the vibrance last longer and extend the life of your colour-treated hair. The great news for you is that our shampoo and conditioner bars are safe for colour-treated hair. Let’s get into the in’s and out’s of this as well as our top tips for caring for your locks.
What makes a hair care product colour-safe?
Using products made with high quality ingredients and a pH that's compatible with hair's natural pH is one of the best defences in keeping your hair colour looking vibrant for longer. Human hair has a pH of around 4.5-5.5, which is slightly acidic. This acidic pH keeps the cuticles (the outermost layer) of your hair shaft lying smoothly against the inner cortex. A pH balanced, soap free shampoo won't disrupt this acidic pH, allowing hair to remain smooth and shiny.
Haircare products that contain soap have a high pH and are hence not suitable for your hair – colour-treated or otherwise. The alkaline pH raises the cuticle which can make hair appear rough. Because hair dyes and colour treatments deposit the colour pigments into the hair cuticle, the cuticle being raised by high-pH products also allows for these pigments to wash out, causing the colour to fade quicker.
Our haircare range is 100% soap-free and pH balanced to help keep the hair cuticle smooth so that colour pigments don't escape from strands. Our shampoos contain only gentle, plant-based surfactants to cleanse hair without stripping, and our nourishing conditioners help leave locks smooth and shiny.
Want to know more about what makes a hair product colour safe? Watch this great video from our founder Brianne, here.
Are shampoo bars safe for colour-treated hair?
Yes! Absolutely.
Our shampoo and conditioner bars are soap-free, pH balanced and safe for colour-treated hair meaning they will not strip your new hair colour. That being said, they won't prolong the life of your colour.
Not all shampoo bars are created equal and while our shampoo bars don’t contain any soap, that doesn’t mean that other brands won’t either. If you are not using an Ethique shampoo bar you will need to check the ingredients to make sure the product is safe for colour-treated hair.
Are shampoo bars that contain soap good for colour-treated hair?
True soap is an alkaline product. It’s a proven fact that hair care products with a high pH will damage your hair over time. That made it easy for us to choose to make high-quality pH-balanced bars for the hair and face, instead of the more affordable soap-based bars.
Want to know more about soap? We covered everything in a blog about soap here.
Tips for maintaining your semi-permanent hair colour
- Prolong washing your hair for as long as possible. Dry shampoo is a great in-between hair wash solution. Grab our free DIY dry shampoo recipe here.
- Use lukewarm or cool water to wash your hair
- Swimming? Wear a swimming cap during your swim (bonus points if you apply conditioner to your hair to create a protective barrier before!) and rinse your hair in the shower when you are finished.
- Apply shampoo to the scalp and roots first and let any leftover lather wash through the ends instead of scrubbing the mid-length of your hair
- Apply conditioner to coloured hair before shampooing. This is team member Jen’s tried and true method for preserving colour - and look at her bright, brilliant tresses! Conditioning prior to shampooing helps form an extra protective barrier of hydration for coloured ends.
Our products are also used and sold by a number of hairdressers. 
What about blonde, silver and grey hair?
Lighter hair can adopt a brassy yellow tone over time. Shampoos and conditioners with purple pigments are used to neutralise this yellow, as purple and yellow are opposites on the colour wheel. We have a brilliant purple toning solid shampoo and conditioner duo for this, which uses naturally occurring mineral pigments to bring out the brightness in blonde, silver, and grey hair.
Keen to give the duo a go? Get started with a mini!
What about sulfates?
There is no evidence to suggest that sulfates affect the life of your colour, cause frizz or give your hair less shine or body. We covered this topic extensively in a blog about sulfates.
But, we answered the call for the huge demand for sulfate-free products and created our sulfate free range of solid hair care products that are also safe for colour-treated hair.
Did you know that just one of our full size solid shampoo bars is the equivalent of 3 standard liquid shampoo bottles? If you are ready to #giveupthebottle, why not kickstart your plastic-free journey with one of our fabulous minis? They last between 5-10 washes so are the perfect way to dip your hair into the range.
Feeling a little unsure about what bars will be right for you? Fill in this quick product recommendation form so our team of Miracle Workers can email you back with a tailored recommendation to suit you
